In the world of football, players can immortalize themselves for many things. Fans discuss achievements like the highest goal scorer or the most Ballon d’Ors won. But something that’s not as talked about is the greatest players that have scored goals from set pieces.
We have prepared today’s article to recognize these players’ efforts and introduce them to you. Most of us will know the players on this list for their outstanding talent with the ball. Today, you get to look at them from the perspective of set piece goals. Let’s begin.
Outstanding Players When It Comes to Set Pieces
To ensure this list is fair, we need to consider the active players and those who have retired from playing the game. You’ll be surprised when you learn who holds the record for the most goals scored from set pieces. Let’s look at the top 10 goal scorers in football without any further ado.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese superstar has millions of fans around the planet who praise him for his exceptional prowess in football. Attacking, scoring from throw-ins, and shooting balls from any position are very few things that Ronaldo can’t do. Famous for his iconic celebration, “the Siu”, he’s one of the active football players with the most goals.
He has more than 800 goals in his list of accolades, making him the top goal scorer in history. He is also among the top scorers in any league season. From free kicks alone, he’s scored 60 goals. He’s also famous for being able to curve the ball from the corner post, and he also has quite a few goals from that position.
2. Ronald Koeman
Although he was mainly a defender, the former Barcelona manager is hailed as the highest-scoring center-back of all time. While he was active he scored 215 times, making him one of the football players with the most goals; 60 of those came from free kicks.
3. Lionel Messi
Now, this is a player that everyone knows. Even if you ask someone who doesn’t follow football, they would have heard of Messi. The Argentine attacking player has often been compared to Maradona for having a similar playstyle. He’s also one of the world’s top goal scorer players in the game.
Messi is one of those players who’s not just famous for how many goals he’s scored. He’s also known for how many set plays and deliveries he has made that led to successful goals during fixtures.
That said, he’s the player his team relies on when it’s time to take a shot from a set piece. And so far, he has scored 62 times like this.
4. Zico
Another player that was famous for his free kicks was Zico. The Brazilian midfielder was active during the 70s and 80s and was considered one of the best players of his time. His accurate shooting skill with the ball is why we’re calling him a set piece specialist with 62 goals.
5. Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona is another legend that’s discussed in the same manner as Pele. Maradona was also a player that scored plenty of beautiful goals. In fact, you’d be surprised to know that 20% of the goals in Maradona’s football career came from set pieces.
Although he was famous for being a playmaker with exceptional dribbling skills and considered a great passer, being able to score 62 goals from set pieces is an impressive feat. It just shows why he’s one of the best set piece takers.
6. David Beckham
Nowadays, there isn’t a football fan who doesn’t know David Beckham’s name. Among all of the football players throughout history, there have been few who could bend the ball like Beckham could.
He managed to score 65 goals from the free kick position. His penalty goal in the 2002 World Cup match against Argentina made him one of the best World Cup set piece takers.
7. Ronaldinho
Here we have another player who’s tied with Legrotalie at 66 goals. And that is none other than the Brazilian magician Ronaldinho. He was an all-rounder on the field and made fans feel he could score from any position. And being one of the top goal scorers in football from set pieces, it’s clear why everyone would think like that.
8. Víctor Legrotaglie
Here we have another player who retired decades ago. Victor Legrotaglie was one of the best players of his time when he was active. During the 70s, he scored a total of 66 free-kick goals. Considering the time and the talent, that’s an impressive feat.
9. Pele
Considered by many as the king of football, the Brazilian legend is our second entry on this list of most goals from set pieces. During his time, he scored a whopping 70 goals from penalties and free kicks, making him one of the top football goal scorers in this category. The number goes even higher if you consider corners as well.
10. Juninho Pernambucano
The former Brazilian midfielder is considered the master of penalty kicks to this day. He’s the player that holds the record for the highest points from set pieces. With 77 goals scored from penalty kicks alone, this ranks him first among the best set piece takers in football history.
He’s also the inventor of the knuckle-ball technique. This involves kicking the ball in full force to avoid rotations or curvature. The ball shoots like a bullet, making it difficult to catch even if the keeper predicts its trajectory.
Conclusion
Although you can’t judge a player’s skill only from goals made with set pieces alone, it’s still impressive. We’ve tried to share something new with you since football fans hardly talk about the players with these exceptional records. We believe this helped you learn something about the new and old legends, and if you want more like this, we recommend reading our article about the 10 Best Football Players of Our Time Who Played for One Club.
FAQ
Who Has Scored the Most Free Kicks in the Premier League?
As of writing this, David Beckham has the most goals with a dead ball. He’s scored a total of 18 free kick goals.
Who Has Scored from Outside the Box the Most?
Lionel Messi holds the top ranking for this achievement by scoring 88 goals from outside the box.
